Extermination order

The dawn mist rolled over the vast, ancient grounds of Shinketsu Academy, one of the seven institutions dedicated to the training and refinement of Exterminators. Perched high on the mountainside, its towering pagoda-style buildings cast long shadows across the academy's pristine courtyards, where students honed their techniques under the watchful gaze of Elite Exterminators.

Inside a dimly lit study, Seijuro Arata, a seasoned Elite Exterminator and one of Shinketsu's most revered instructors, sat behind his mahogany desk, eyes scanning a parchment sealed with the crest of the Grandmaster himself. The weight of its contents bore down on him with each word. His hands, steady from years of battle, briefly hesitated as he turned to the next page.

The letter was from Rengoku Itsuya.

It detailed three pressing matters:

• Essence Consumption Investigation – A troubling discovery was in progress regarding the effects of consuming Essence Energy, an act that could fundamentally alter the nature of both humans and creatures alike. This phenomenon, if left unchecked, could change the balance of power in ways they were unprepared for.

• The Threat of a New Beast – Malakai. Not only was this Eldritch entity unlike anything encountered before, but it was also disturbingly intelligent, strategic, and rapidly evolving. It spoke like a human, fought with precision and cunning, and demonstrated an Essence output so immense that even a Grandmaster-level Exterminator like Rengoku had deemed it a high-priority threat. Worst of all, it escaped.

• The Fall of the Tenshiro Family – The deaths of Shinzo Tenshiro, once a legendary Elite Exterminator, and his wife Reika Tenshiro, a kind-hearted supporter, were confirmed. The sole survivor was their son, Kaito Tenshiro. The villagers of Hagakure had been saved, as Rengoku had evacuated them before the battle, but the aftermath remained grim. The loss of Shinzo alone was a seismic event in the world of Exterminators.

Seijuro leaned back, letting out a slow exhale as his mind processed everything.

"Even Shinzo didn't survive…"

His fingers tightened around the parchment. If even someone as powerful as Shinzo had fallen, what chance would the rest of them have against this monster?

He stared out the window at the young Exterminators training in the courtyard below, their wooden swords clashing, their battle cries echoing. Most of them were still Novices, oblivious to the gravity of what was unfolding beyond the academy walls.

"If the Grandmaster himself had to intervene, and even he couldn't put the creature down, then this thing is a real threat."

Then, his eyes caught the last lines of the letter.

"Seijuro, send word to the other six academies and inform the Five Branch Families immediately. The Age of Chaos is upon us. The Soothsayer was right."

Seijuro felt his stomach tighten. The Soothsayer—a mysterious, almost mythical figure—had long warned of an era where the balance between humanity and the Eldritch would shatter. Many dismissed her as paranoid, but now… it was undeniable.

Her prophecy spoke of three things:

• The weakening of the ancient seal. A seal that, for millennia, imprisoned the Cosmic Eldritch Beast, Umbra—a creature so powerful it nearly eradicated humanity once before.

• The beginning of the Age of Chaos. A time when Eldritch creatures would grow stronger, smarter, and deadlier, leading to the inevitable war between them and mankind.

• The birth of the Apex Exterminator. The one destined to slay Umbra before its full release. But the prophecy warned that they had 20 years at most, 5 years at least before Umbra broke free completely.

Five years… That was nothing.

Seijuro clenched his jaw. If Malakai was just the beginning, they were in serious trouble.

Without hesitation, Seijuro pulled out six fresh scrolls, dipped his brush in ink, and began writing. The other academies had to be warned. The Five Branch Families—humanity's last defense—had to be informed.

A storm was coming. And they were running out of time.

The morning sun hung low in the sky, casting a soft golden hue over the remains of Hagakure Village. Smoke still lingered in the air, and the ground was littered with remnants of a battle too great for mere words.

Kaito's Nightmare.

Darkness. Screams. The sickening sound of flesh being torn apart. His mother's voice calling his name.

His father's last stand. His bloodied hands reaching for something—someone—who was no longer there.

Then the hollow silence.

Kaito's eyes snapped open. His body lurched forward as he let out a sharp scream, drenched in sweat. His breath was erratic, chest rising and falling as he struggled to separate reality from the nightmare.

For a brief second, he thought it had all been just a terrible dream.

His heart clung to that hope as his eyes darted around the unfamiliar wooden ceiling, then to the old walls of the small house he found himself in. Maybe he had imagined everything. Maybe his parents were still alive.

But then, he turned his head towards the open doorway.

There, sitting on the porch outside, was the old man from that night. The one who had fought that creature. Rengoku Itsuya.

The truth came crashing back.

Kaito bolted from the bed, pushing past the doorway and rushing outside. His feet skidded to a halt.

His heart sank.

What remained of Hagakure Village was right in front of him—burnt, broken, dismantled. There was no home to return to. No warmth of family waiting inside.

It was all real.

His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the dirt. A raw, gut-wrenching pain clawed at his chest, as if his parents were dying all over again. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, trying to wake himself up.

But he wasn't dreaming anymore.

A scream tore from his throat, echoing through the ruins of the village.

Tears streamed down his face as his body trembled uncontrollably. He didn't care if anyone saw. He didn't care if the old man behind him was watching.

Then, through his blurred vision, Kaito turned to Rengoku, his voice shaking.

"Old man… you can save them, right?"

Rengoku's gaze remained steady.

"I saw what you did," Kaito's voice cracked, desperation leaking into every word. "You're strong… you can bring them back, right?"

For a long moment, Rengoku said nothing.

Then, his voice came, firm yet solemn.

"No. I cannot."

Kaito's breath hitched.

"But even if I could…" Rengoku continued, "I wouldn't. Because the dead should remain dead. We should not disrespect them with such thoughts."

Kaito's eyes widened.

Disrespect?

His sorrow twisted into rage.

"Then where were you?!" Kaito's voice exploded with fury. His hands balled into fists. "You could've saved them! My dad—my mom—you could've stopped that thing before it killed them!"

His chest tightened, his voice raw from screaming. "This is all your fault!"

Before he knew it, he was on his feet, running towards Rengoku.

His fists collided with the old man's chest, over and over. Punch after punch. His strength was nothing compared to the Exterminator, yet he kept swinging, kept screaming.

Rengoku didn't move.

He didn't block. Didn't flinch. Didn't stop him.

He let Kaito hit him again and again.

Until Kaito's punches grew weaker.

Until his energy drained.

Until he broke down into sobs.

Then, in that moment, Rengoku pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Let it out," he whispered. "Cry until there's nothing left. Scream until your heart is empty. You have the right to grieve."

Kaito gritted his teeth, his body shaking in the old man's arms. He didn't resist. He didn't hold back. He cried.

He cried for everything he had lost.

After what felt like hours, Rengoku finally spoke again.

"You're right." His voice was quiet, but heavy. "Maybe if I hadn't stopped to evacuate the villagers, I could have made it in time. Maybe your mother and father would still be alive."

Kaito lifted his head, looking up at him.

"But maybe… all the villagers would have died instead. And maybe, in the end, there was no saving them at all."

Kaito stared at him, trying to process the weight of those words. The pain in Rengoku's voice was real.

For the first time, Kaito saw it—not just an old warrior, but a man who also carried loss.

Then, Rengoku stood up.

"Come with me."

Kaito followed in silence.

They walked back into the ruins of Hagakure Village, past broken homes and collapsed buildings, until they reached the place where Kaito's house once stood.

But now, in its place, stood two graves.

One for Shinzo Tenshiro.

One for Reika Tenshiro.

Kaito's breath caught in his throat. Rengoku had done this.

His fingers grazed the cold stone, his heart swelling with a mix of pain and gratitude. This old man had buried them. Honored them. For him.

Tears welled in his eyes once more.

"Thank you…" His voice was barely a whisper. Then, guilt seeped in. "I'm sorry… for what I said earlier."

Rengoku said nothing. He simply turned and walked away.

Kaito stayed at the graves all day and night.

He spoke to them. He cried again.

By the time he returned to the small house at the outskirts of the village, the sky was painted in soft blues of early morning.

To his surprise, Rengoku was still there.

"Old man…? You're still here?" Kaito frowned. "I thought you would've left."

Instead of answering, Rengoku slid a meal towards him.

"Sit. Eat."

Kaito hesitated but obeyed, his hunger finally catching up to him. As he took the first bite, Rengoku spoke again.

"I've been waiting for you, Kaito Tenshiro."

Kaito stopped chewing.

Rengoku's gaze met his.

"Son of Shinzo Tenshiro and Reika Tenshiro."

Kaito swallowed, his expression cautious.

"Why…?"

Rengoku leaned forward slightly, his next words sending a chill down Kaito's spine.

"Because I want you to join the Extermination Order."